How Does a Stem Cell Transplant Work?
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/ Updated February 9th, 2022

How Does a Stem Cell Transplant Work?

Medically Reviewed: Dr. Doris Hansen Written by Joe Kerwin
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How Do Stem Cell Transplants Work?

  • Stem cell transplants aim to help a patient recover from the loss of blood cells they experience while being treated for multiple myeloma.
  • These blood-making cells are removed from the body and stored while the patient is given chemotherapy that is designed to fight cancer cells (but can also damage healthy cells).
  •  After the patient receives this chemotherapy, the stem cells are re-infused in the body and assist with recovery of blood counts.
According to Dr. Jing Ye of University of Michigan Health, the goal of a stem cell transplant is to prolong a multiple myeloma patient's "progression-free survival." This does not mean curing multiple myeloma it means extending the period of time in which the disease does not gain ground.

Step 1: Removing the Cells

The first step of a stem cell transplant involves extracting blood-making cells from the patient's body.

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Patients receive a daily injection of growth factor to promote growth of stem cells and delivery from the bone marrow into the blood stream.

RELATED: Is a Stem Cell Transplant Always Needed for Multiple Myeloma Treatment?

From there, blood is collected through an IV, and spun in a machine that enables doctors to isolate the layer of blood cells they want. These cells are collected and frozen, and the remaining blood is put back into the body. These frozen cells can be stored for years, but they are typically reintroduced into the body in the first window of response to treatment or after the first phase of induction therapy.

Step 2: Induction

After the stem cells are extracted, the person being treated will undergo high-dose chemotherapy. According to Dr. Ye, this chemotherapy is intended to "eradicate all the myeloma cells in the bone marrow." Unfortunately, this isn't the only effect of chemotherapy. "The side effect is at the same time, all the cells will be killed along with those cancer cells," said Dr. Ye.

RELATED: Side Effects from Multiple Myeloma Treatment

"Once a patient has received this therapy, their bone marrow will have a dramatic decrease of myeloma cells and healthy cells," Dr. Ye explained. The   goal of the stem cells is to assist with recovery of blood counts following high dose chemotherapy.

Step 3: Stem Cells Are Returned, and Blood-Making Resumes

Without a stem cell transplant, the high-dose chemotherapy treatment would cause the patient's blood counts to dip dangerously low, and to stay low for a long period of time. Instead, doctors wait a day until the chemotherapy has left the bloodstream, and then they re-infuse the blood-making cells that they had stored back into the body.

Once the blood-making cells are back in the patient's body, they move into the bone marrow and start making blood. The production of blood will resume ten to fourteen days after the cells are re-introduced into the body.

Learn more about SurvivorNet's rigorous medical review process.

Joe Kerwin is a writer and researcher at SurvivorNet, based in New York City. Read More

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